Leadership Bar

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In this lesson, the instructor explains the core attributes that engineering manager (EM) interviewers, especially directors and above, look for when hiring. Unlike IC roles, EM hiring is predominantly trust-based and focused on leadership capabilities over technical depth.

• Behavioral Over Technical: 80% of the EM hiring decision is based on behavioral criteria like trustworthiness, resilience, and ownership, while only 20% is focused on technical competency such as architecture and system design.
• Understand the Decision-Maker’s World: Directors and VPs prioritize reliability, communication skills, and the ability to handle uncertainty and people problems over deep technical expertise.
• Subjective Evaluation: EM interviews aren’t about getting “right” answers. Instead, they're conversational and context-driven, evaluating fit with the team, culture, and leadership expectations.
• Demonstrate Ownership and Initiative: Candidates must show extreme ownership, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to deliver results, even outside formal responsibilities.
• Adapt Communication: EMs need to adjust messaging depending on the audience, from engineers to upper leadership, showing mastery in stakeholder communication.